A LATE goal from Lewwis Spence earned Thurrock an FA Cup first qualifying round replay with Harlow Town as it ended 1-1 at Ship Lane.

Thomas Fagg gave the Hawks a half-time lead, but Spence equalised with just four minutes remaining to result in a replay being needed to determine who will progress to the next round of the competition.

It took 22 minutes for either side to register a shot on goal, but Spence, who returned to Thurrock in the summer, sent his effort high over the crossbar.

Just minutes later, Junior Dadson pounced on a loose first touch from Reece Morgan on the edge of his own penalty area.

But the Harlow Town winger could not profit from Morgan’s error, as he sent his low strike inches wide of the target.

Richard Halle, who only came into Mark Stimson’s starting line-up following an injury to Joe Bruce in the warm-up, sent a blistering volley goalwards on the half hour mark.

But Ben McNamara, in the Hawks’ goal, was equal to the Fleet captain’s effort.

Former Dagenham & Redbridge right back James Shepherd sent a dangerous low cross into the hosts’ penalty area. Thankfully for Thurrock, none of the onrushing Harlow Town attackers were able to connect with the cross and turn it home.

But Harlow Town were to go in at the break a goal to the good.

Fagg gave the Hawks the lead on the stroke of half time as he sent a low effort beyond the diving Tim Brown.

Fleet struggled to fashion clear-cut opportunities after the interval, with Spence shooting wide of the target.

Adetayo Osifuwa scampered down the right wing and put a dangerous ball into the penalty area, but half-time substitute Glenn Poole was tackled just as he was about to pull the trigger from 12 yards.

Nigel Neite came close to grabbing a second for the Hawks.

The attacker charged towards goal and his trickery took him around substitute Jordan Clark, but he blazed his shot over the crossbar.

The same man then mistimed a volley when well placed moments later, allowing Brown to make a routine save.

With just over 10 minutes to play, Poole sent a first-time volley over the crossbar.

Spence got Fleet back on level terms four minutes before time as he sent a 25-yard curling effort out of the reach of McNamara and into the back of the net.

And that goal made for an exciting end to the game.

Just a minute later, Poole hit the near post when set up by Charlie Stimson, while Timothy Obisanya hit the upright with Harlow Town’s next attack.

Syrus Gordon then struck the woodwork with the last kick of the game and both sides will meet again for a replay.

Thurrock: Brown, Morgan, Winn, Halle (Clark 45’), Osifuwa, Christou, Nouble, Spence, Stimson, Winn, Hall (Poole 45’)

Harlow Town: McNamara, Shepherd, Dickens, Baker, Muguo, Simms, Dadson, Gordon, Read (Obisanya 76’), Fagg (Vidal 82’), Neite